


The Masked Ball

by Persiflage



Category: Warehouse 13
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bering and Wells Holiday Gift Exchange 2019, Dancing, F/F, Formalwear, Masked ball, Season 2 AU, Unresolved Romantic Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-01-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:14:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22063870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Persiflage/pseuds/Persiflage
Summary: S2 Canon Divergence: Myka and Helena attend a Masked Ball in order to track down an artefact.
Relationships: Myka Bering/Helena "H. G." Wells
Comments: 4
Kudos: 34





	The Masked Ball

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sistersin7](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sistersin7/gifts).



> Written for the Bering and Wells Holiday Gift Exchange 2019 over on Tumblr. This is a canon divergence - Myka and Leena had realised that Helena was struggling both with grief over losing Christina and as a consequence of her time in the Bronze, so they go to Mrs Frederic, who brings in Doctor Abigail Cho to help Helena. As a consequence, there's no Minoan Trident and no betrayal.

"Remind me why I agreed to this ridiculous charade?" asks Myka, her tone tart in Helena's earpiece.

She looks up from her spot at the foot of the staircase where she's been waiting for her for the past ten minutes, and her breath catches in her throat: Myka looks absolutely stunning, there's no other word for it. Her costume is flawless, and she looks every inch the eighteenth-century French aristocratic lady.

"Helena."

Her voice is sharper now and Helena snaps out of her stupor.

"I beg your pardon, Myka. I was just admiring your costume."

As she slowly descends the staircase towards her Helena can see Myka’s mouth relax into the tiniest of smiles beneath the half mask that covers her upper face.

"Given the short notice, I was very lucky to find something so appropriate that actually fit me," Myka agrees.

She reaches the bottom of the stairs, and Helena makes her a flourishing bow, before offering her arm.

"As for why you agreed to do this," she says softly, knowing Myka will be able to hear her given how close they’re standing, "this is our only chance to grab Snell. He's flying out to South America first thing in the morning, and it’s been three days, and we still haven't been able to figure out what artefact he’s been using or even find it. And since Pete broke his leg yesterday morning and is currently lying up at the Bed and Breakfast, and Steve and Claudia are off on a mission of their own, we were rather short of candidates."

"Always ready with an answer, aren't you Helena?" Myka asks a little wryly as Helena leads her across the room to get them both a drink.

Helena feels some of the tension in her body begin to uncoil: if Myka’s using that amused, sardonic tone then she's not hating this nearly as much as Helena first thought.

"I try my best to be ready for every eventuality."

Myka looks at Helena and she sees a glitter of amusement in her friend’s green eyes. She gets them both a glass of champagne, then she watches Myka as she takes in the other guests, knowing that she's also registering that there are two exits and two blind spots in the room, which they might be able to take advantage of if they can corner Snell near one of them.

"Which one's Snell?" Myka asks between sips of her drink.

"Tall fellow in the left-hand corner by the French windows. Grey wolf's head mask and a black suit with a black shirt and tie," Helena responds softly without taking her eyes from Myka’s face. She can feel the adrenaline beginning to pump through her veins, and her heart rate's increasing in anticipation of what's to come if they play this right.

The orchestra, which has been playing softly on the balcony above their heads, falls silent and the host steps forward to greet them, before he encourages them to enjoy themselves.

"Monsieur Balzac has no idea what Snell’s been doing, I presume?" Myka asks as Helena takes her glass, bows to her, then moves in close for the waltz that's just struck up.

"I doubt many people do," she responds, suppressing a shiver of pleasure when Myka puts one hand on her shoulder and takes her free hand in the other.

As they move gracefully around the ballroom Helena finds her mind drifting: Myka is a gorgeous, capable woman, and there's always been an undercurrent of sexual tension between them that so far Helena’s not tried to explore, but in the months that she’s been seeing Doctor Cho and she’s begun to heal, both from the loss of Christina and her time in the Bronze, she’s found herself wondering more and more whether Myka would be interested in a more intimate relationship with her.

"I trust you're keeping your mind on the job in hand, Helena?" Myka asks in a low voice, cutting into Helena’s reverie (she blames the dress – Myka looks like a queen in it).

When Myka looks at her, she sees in Helena’s dark eyes the same thrill of excitement that she's feeling. It's been far too long since she and Helena have been alone in the field together, and she can't suppress her pleasure at being here with Helena, both of them dressed up (Helena’s wearing a tux and a white button down dress shirt, both of which look fabulous on her). Myka’s forced to acknowledge to herself, at least, that if Snell wasn't in the picture, she'd be enjoying herself even more than she is right now. Helena's touch, as she steers her around the dance floor, is sure but light, and she moves with a lithe grace that makes Myka wonder what she'd be like in bed. It's not a subject on which she usually allows herself to speculate because she's been very careful to keep things professional between them in spite, or perhaps because of, Helena’s flirting. But the champagne, the clothes, the music, and above all the atmosphere are all having an effect on Myka and she feels an unaccustomed zing in her blood that she doesn’t tend to feel when she and Pete are on a mission.

She watches Helena’s face, seeing the way her lips tighten and her expression hardens just a fraction, and Myka knows, even before Helena begins steering her subtly in a new direction, that she believes she's seen an opportunity for them to take Snell.

Helena glances at her, her expression cool and wholly professional, and Myka gives her a tiny nod and tightens her grip on Helena’s hand just a fraction to let her know that she's also ready. Helena gives her a sudden, almost feral, grin that startles Myka, and it takes her a moment to realise that Helena’s delighted by how in tune they are at this moment, enough that words aren't even necessary to convey their intentions to one another.

Then Helena's moving in on Snell from one side, while Myka approaches him from the other, before she 'accidentally' falls up against him, as if she's tripped. This allows Helena to step up behind Snell and press a small hypodermic syringe into his arm which will knock him unconscious in a few moments.

Myka's all fluttering apologies for her own (faked, for once) clumsiness as Snell helps her back to her feet, then he blinks, opens his mouth to speak, but instead slumps. Helena and Myka catch him smoothly, then the two of them get Snell out of the ballroom, down the corridor, then out of a side door where Artie’s been waiting to question him about the artefact he’s been using to enhance his profits while harming other businesses, usually by causing owners to commit suicide.

"Do you need us to come with you?" Myka asks Artie after they’ve manhandled Snell into their rental car.

“No, I think I can handle this. If I do need you, I’ll call. You’ve got your Farnsworth, haven’t you?” he asks Helena, who nods. “Then go and have some fun.”

He drives off, and Helena frowns.

"’Have some fun’?" she repeats doubtfully. "Do you suppose he’s feeling all right?"

Myka chuckles. “He does have his moments – although I admit they’re few and far between. But let’s not look a gift horse in the mouth.”

"Indeed," Helena agrees. “Why waste our party clothes, after all?"

Myka grins at Helena, which leaves her feeling a frisson of desire. "Why indeed?" Myka says, and Helena bows, then offers her arm again, and Myka accepts with what Helena considers to be a satisfied smile, as if she’s certain that this is going to be a very enjoyable evening after all. Helena has the very highest hopes that it will be.

**Author's Note:**

> Owing to chronic pain and insufficient sleep as a result of said pain, I struggled to get my assignment finished in time for the deadline, so this is actually a re-working of an older fic from an entirely different fandom, just in case someone recognises it - which I think unlikely as I don't think there's any crossover from that fandom with the W13 one. Still, I prefer to be upfront about this.


End file.
